A Little Brother
by DancingTribble
Summary: Hungary stumbles across a cute little country that she instantly adopts against Austria's protests. To her surprise, the little boy is none other than Moldova, her biggest rival's little brother. Naturally, Romania wants his brother back, but neither Hungary nor Moldova will have it. They all move in to Austria's house and things take a turn for the weird.
1. Nicolae

Elizabeth sighed irritably as she stepped quietly through the forest, sweeping the hair out of her face while her feet barely making a sound against the leaf-ridden floor. The sun had risen less than an hour ago, casting a warming orange glow that seeped deep into the bark of the trees and whispered softly to the wild creatures to awaken. Any other time the woman would have enjoyed her early morning walks in her precious forest, only for the first in a long while, she wasn't happy.

Her entire life she had tried to remain of a pleasant state so she wouldn't hurt those she cared about, but was never truly repaid with the same amount of kindness. The night before Roderich had argued with her bitterly, unlike his normal patient personality with his wife, but the man wasn't in the mood to listen to her pleads to lower his voice for the younger children's sake.

She had begged her husband to at least soften his harshness, just to be back handed across the room roughly with a fresh mark on her cheek. Roderich had left her alone in the study, refusing to even look at her the next morning. She cried herself to sleep that night knowing that something was going on with his associates that would take away from their happiness and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Feliciano asked her cheerfully at breakfast what was wrong with all the perfect child innocence still ripe in his little face. None noticed the bruise on her cheek as she had expertly hidden it with long strands of hair. Before she could answer the little boy, Roderich stood and left the room coldly, causing her to burst into another fit of tears as she ran out of the house.

Now, she stood in the silent forest, a place secret to her people and no one else knew of. She closed her eyes wistfully and inhaled deeply as each and every scent of the world came to her. Earth and dirt and lilac and pine and free animals danced about her playfully, beckoning her to follow as they pulled gently on her hair and breathed carelessly into her clothes.

A smile came to her lips, aware and calm with the silence of the trees, not war, not death, not a scar of human contact had ever touched her sanctuary as she had kept for centuries. After a moment, she turned to leave, only to cringe as a high pitched squeal of delight sliced through her perfect woods.

Her brow narrowed suspiciously as she advanced to the source and tucked a free strand of hair behind an ear. A bright yellow bird zoomed by without stopping, only adding to her aggravation, but the voice was one she wasn't familiar with that kept her curiosity. She paused at the base of a large maple she'd never noticed before and with every last ounce of courage without being armed, she jumped out defensively.

Only, instead of the full grown Prussian she'd been expecting, was instead, a small little boy. Dressed in a ragged coat patched with a child's crooked hand that made him look tattered beyond compare and dark brown hair that was an almost black tumbling down into his tired, yet warm inviting eyes. He noted the older woman immediately, smiling a brilliant smile up at her and arms outstretched to be held.

Timidly, Elizabeth gracious picked up the beautiful little boy in awe that she had never seen him before. He yawned, rubbed his eyes with his dirty sleeve and nuzzled the other comfortingly. Elizabeth smiled down at the child as she could he his heartbeat against hers and ran her fingers through his hair maternally.

"Hey," She spoke softly to the wind, then down to the boy, subconsciously walking back to her house without realizing, "Hey, vhat's your name? Hey now, don't fall asleep just yet."

The little boy stirred in her arms and blinked out the sleep from his piercing red eyes and yawned again to reveal little needle sharp incisors before answering with the most heart-melting voice she had ever heard, "Moldova."

Startled, she almost threw the child away from her, resentful at her own foolishness to fail to recognize the same body frame and and hideous hair style that matched his bland olive tone skin of his older brothers. She wanted to kick herself for even ignoring the pile of forest magic material that had been spread out around him, clearly the child of a Vampire.

"M-Moldova," She tried the name, walking again as she had stopped out of shock, "Do you mind if I call you Nicolae instead?"

The boy shook his head pleasantly as his head slowly dipped down against her chest until he had finally given in and dozed off. Elizabeth, running now, excitement mixed apprehension tingling down her spine gave a new sense of invigoration that she had found the most precious child in her own territory.

_*time jump*_

"Vladimir!"

The blond snapped out his slumber, startled and confused that he'd actually fallen asleep at his desk. He clumsily knocked over several viles that crashed violently to the floor boards and spread into an oozing liquid far across the room and slid up the wall. His blinked for a moment, then down at his papers that lay scattered about the grand office from the last night's breeze, words smudged beyond legibility that he had tried to use an ink quell again. A burning smell of hair caught his attention as the liquid had started to burn a hole in a frightened Bulgarian's shoe.

Anton stood wide-eyed and terrified in the door frame, his dark black hair ruffled, uniform dirty and disheveled from late night romping around in the woods for burnet along with various other roots. The usual calm, cockiness that could have been mistaken for Romano vanished with slight anger and hope for redemption to cover it up. He dashed to the front of his brother's desk and slapped his hand across the blond's face quickly.

"Useless drunk! Vake up!"

Vladimir recovered and glared back with an irritable dead-pan look at the other, "Vhat do you vant?"

"Vhere da fuck is Moldova?! You vere suppose to be vatching him!"

"Ce?" The blond asked, instantly concerned for his precious little brother until something in the back of his mind clicked as he settled back in the chair, arms folded expectantly , "He vas vith you."

Realization and panic settled over the young man's face as he released his elder's shoulders slowly and turned around for the door quickly in complete shock. Vladimir stood suspiciously at Anton's fear of what may have been done, his hands placed precariously against the ancient thing as he called out.

"You left him in ze voods, da?"

Anton turned slightly back to him, careful not to make eye contact as he searched the room with a guilty face for an answer, "Maybe…"

"Anton!"

"It vasn't my fault!"

"Vas it ze forest fairy's fault then?!"

"Don't be stupid!"

"Then vere ze hell is he?!"

"I don't know!"

"Shit," Vladimir ran his hand through his hair, beginning to pace back and forth between the over-sized desk and stained glass window, "How hard vas it? How fucking hard vas it?! To vatch your little brother for one, one _night_! Instead, you lose him! Like ze incompetent shit zat you are! Come on!"

"Vhere are ve are going?" Anton asked skittishly as Vladimir shouldered past him angrily with hat and coat in hand, "Vlad…you're not mad, are you?"

The Romanian spun on his heels and caught the Bulgarian off guard so they were face to face, red eyes burning with an unnatural glow as his lips curled up almost like to display his sharpened teeth, "Vhat do you fucking think?"

"Nu?" Anton tried hopefully, skirmishing under the wrathful gaze, "I did get everyzing else zat you vanted though. Does zat help?"

Vladimir frowned, "I don't vant to hear you speak for ze rest of ze century."

_*time jump*_

"Get that thing out of here!" Roderich's voice shrilled throughout the house, shaking the window panes as people seemed to vanish from his sight.

Elizabeth raised her chin at her husband challengingly as she adjusted the little boy to her hip, "And vhy should I?"

"He's filthy! Look at him!" The older country swiped his hand against the younger viciously to prove his point, shoving the now-torn fabric in her face, "Just look at him ja?! It's like he's never taken a bath before in his life!"

Nicolae cried out fearfully as he tugged for his clothing back while Elizabeth stepped away from the man quickly.

"So are you!" She snapped, painfully aware of the blatant lie as she kept her back from her husband, "I found him, vhy can't I keep him, ha?"

"Oh God Elizabeth," Roderich pronounced dramatically, "Do I _really _have to tell you?"

"You're just jealous!" The woman screamed over her shoulder, stroking the little boy's hair not only for his comfort but for her own, "When can I ever have anything that's really mine? Everything and _everyone _in this wretched house belongs to you! Vhy can't I have something for myself ha?!"

Silence echoed off the walls and bounced against the windows as Roderich stared in shock at the woman's sudden outburst, turning away from her, ashamed for himself. He quietly stepped to his wife and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair that he loved so much about her, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

"You can keep him, ja?" He studied her face carefully, scared that he'd angered her.

Only she wasn't looking at him, instead she traced one of her long slender fingers along Nicolae's jaw line. The boy smiled up at her, then to Roderich, reaching out his arms to be held by a different. Elizabeth eyes focused at the man, unsure to hand over the child, Roderich's pouted at the woman playfully until she gave in and grinned back.

His deep purple eyes light up gleefully, showing the paternal side of himself only to his beloved wife. Elizabeth folded an arm over her chest and nibbled on her fingernails and watched as he lightly rocked the child and played peek-a-boo fatherly with his cravat. The front door to the grand mansion swung on its hinges and slammed heavily against the concrete wall before either could recover their public personalities.

"Vhat's up losers?! Isn't it an awesome morning?! Ha! It is now cause I'm here!"

"If you are as "awesome" as you say you are, then, vhy do you live here?" Elizabeth asked coolly as she cupped Gilbird in her hands, not even trying to put an empathize on her insult.

"Ha! You just say that cause you wish you were awesome as me, hey vhat's this?" Gilbert grabbed Nicolae from Roderich, excitedly, "Look! Ve have the same eyes!"

Nicolae's mouth gaped in awe at the albino's pigment for a moment before hugging him back, "Big brother!"

"Hey! He likes me!" Gilbert swung around wildly to bask in the non existing glory, then taking a dramatic serious tone, announced, "I humbly take on the challenge of another little brother! From this moment on, he will grow up to be as awesome as me and my brother!"

"I don't think so," Elizabeth growled, taking the child from his crazy uncle and setting him down for the first time, smoothing down his hair and gently pushing him out of the room, "Vhy don't you go find Feliciano? Antonio's suppose to be bringing Romano over so they can play with each other."

The little country nodded gleefully before scampering off the grand hallway, hoisting up his ridiculously sized coat up over his feet. Elizabeth smiled and leaned against the door frame and watched him go.

"Zo? Vhere did you pick that one up from?" Gilbert's loud voice barked right in her ears, "Didn't steal him did you?"

"Of course not!" She answered defensively.

"Zhen vere did he come from hmmm?"

Elizabeth paused, scared to give away the her precious woods, "He was, wandering around in the garden this morning."

"Uhu, uhu," Gilbert tisked his lips together just to irritate her, "Do you know that, _zat _is the child of your biggest enemy?"

"Yes, and I swear, you tell anyone, and I mean _anyone_, that he's here, I will personally kill you!" She threatened, shoving a finger in his face, "Not Francis, not Antonio, and certainly not Vladimir."

"Does zat mean I can tell Anton?" He answered whimsically, taking her hair to make a mustache on his own face.

"No one!"

"Zhey're going to find out eventually you know…," Roderich spoke from his place at the banister.

"I know," She sighed sadly, "Maybe they'll forget about him."


	2. Oh Dear

"Moldova!"

Vladimir swatted away a heavy branch of a foreign forest that he'd somehow managed to avoid his entire life, just to let it snap back and slap Anton in the face. He keep his eyes low to the ground, searching for anything that could give him some sort of comfort that his precious brother was at least alright. A growing dread in the back of his mind that Ivan would find him before he did.

"He couldn't have gotten far, could he?" Anton asked from behind the branch, rubbing his eye painfully, "I mean, he iz a zmall little zhing isn't he?"

"I don't know," Vladimir muttered to himself, a rising fear that sank his stomach to his feet with every step, "Vhere did you see him last?"

"Ah," Anton stopped, unsure of his surrounding, "I, I don't know, I mean, I _do _know, but it waz, about, an hour bevore zunzet."

Vladimir held an exasperated sigh, wistfully wishing he could handle his anxiety better, after a moment of tromping through the underbrush in silence, he spoke, "Anton, look, I'm not mad at zou, but, I just-"

"Just vat?"

He stopped, searching his mind for the exact words he wanted, keeping his eyes off Anton, "It's alvays been us three, even bevore, it, it didn't zeem real until ve vere together, ya know? I just, don't vant to lose either of you."

The Bulgarian stared at the other, taken back from his return of gentle personality he was familiar with, Anton smiled genuinely at the frightened brother and placed a hand on his shoulder casually this time, "Let's just find him, da?"

Vladimir nodded, a small sliver of confidence returning, "Da."

_*time jump*_

"Nicolae come back here!" Elizabeth chased after the boy, a fresh, new overcoat, generously donated by Feliciano in hand, she leaned up against the banister to catch her breath.

"Having troubles are ve hmmm?" Gilbert pried from his place on the couch, amused in the woman's futile attempts to redress the child all day, "Here, let me try."

"I don't need your help!" She snapped, grabbing for the coat as the man snatched it away from her, "Give zat back!"

"Vatch und learn," He called over his shoulder slyly, flattening himself to the wall that opened to the corridor with a grin, "Ooh Nicolae! It's me! Your awesome new big bruther! I've got something for you!"

Gilbert smiled foolishly at Elizabeth as they waited in silence for some sort of answer. She folded her arms and frowned at him with a brow arched unimpressively at his own tactics as they were only greeted with an irritated Roderich tinkering with his piano several rooms over. Right as she was about to move to take the coat back, they both heard a door click open, then slam, and a pair of worn out shoes clamoring on the hardwood floors in their direction.

The Prussian crouched expectedly and snagged the boy as he gleefully appeared for the older man. Nicolae let out a delighted shriek of surprise as he was scooped up and hugged his uncle.

"Got you!" Gilbert laughed with the boy, glancing back at Elizabeth for approval, "Now, vhy von't you vear this for your new mommy hmmm? Don't you vant to be clean, ja?"

Nicolae's eyes widened, mortified of the fabric and struggled to be let down.

"Hey hey hey hey hey hey," He tried, lowering his voice to a more "indoor" level, "Calm down now, it'z alright, I don't like this stuffy style either. Come on," Gilbert hoisted Nicolae to a more comfortable position on his hip as he carried the boy back to Feliciano's room, "Ve'll find somezhing zat you like."

Elizabeth watched the two go, not angry or saddened, but only disappointed that she couldn't be the one to take care of the boy. She sighed and sat down on the grand staircase, running a hand through her hair, exhausted already despite it only being mid morning. Gilbird fluttered down from his place on the mantle and stared curiously up at the woman, nudging her hand to stroke him. She smiled lightly and ran a single finger over his crown, fluffing his feathers carelessly.

Footsteps echoed through the house and eventually appeared in front of her. Elizabeth looked up slowly, fatigue mixed with misunderstood sorrow that even she couldn't pick a source of the reason, up at her husband who held the same look for his wife. Roderich glanced down at the piano strings in his hand, then back to Elizabeth, wishing that he could comfort her like used to. She shook her head and looked away, knowing that he wanted to do something but couldn't.

The grandfather clock struck the hour, breaking both out of their silent vigil with each other. Roderich moved absent mindedly towards the hall closet and pulled his coat from a hangar.

"Do you know vhere Gilbert is?" He spoke softly without looking at her, "Ve'll be late."

"Ja," She whispered, "Vith Nicolae."

Roderich walked by his beloved, dismayed in their current relationship and not knowing what to do to fix it.

"Gilbert!" He called out weakly, trying to hold back broken cry, "Gilbert ve'll be late!"

Elizabeth gently took her lovely husband's hand and looked up at him in the eye, "Not a vord."

He nodded, "Not a vord."

_*time jump*_

"Vell vhat do you zink?"

"I think zat it is, uh, negotiable, but-."

"Goddamned it make up your mind already!"

Vladimir sighed silently to himself as he drummed his gloved fingers against the conference table. He watched the two parties argue uninterestedly, his mind still in the forest thinking of places his brother could have gone to. His other brother spun back and forth in his chair, an apparent boredom starting to boil on his face to make an unnecessary objection.

"Don't do it," Vladimir growled, eyes flicking around the room for a clock, "_Damn it._"

"I von't sit here und take zhis," Gilbert jumped up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table.

"Sit down," Lugwig snapped, grabbing his brother back to his chair.

"Maybe he's right," Feliks spoke from his spot, chin pressed firmly at his fist as he stared out the window, "I vote for a recess."

Vladimir jumped from his place at the movement of the other countries. He quickly grabbed his hand out and motioned for Anton to follow.

"Are ve going to ask any of them?" The dark hair man asked anxiously.

"Da," He nodded carefully back at him, "Don't let zhem on zho."

"Toris!" Anton screamed in Vladimir's ear, waving frantically at the Lithuanian, remembering where he was and flashed an apologetic smile at his brother "Zorry."

Anton quickly walked away after the man and took a casual conversational stance. Vladimir watched him go before quietly stepping towards another group of people. He poured himself a glass of water and listened carefully as they continued to talk with one another.

"I don't know vhy he vould suggest zat ve join borders," Gilbert protested loudly at Roderich who glanced around suspiciously for someone, "Like, does he honestly zink that ve vould move in vith zat arschgeige?"

"Ja," Roderich agreed half-heartedly, noticing as Gilbert took another drink, "Shouldn't you not?"

"I mean," Gilbert's voice grew louder, trying to put his words together, "Vhy don't zhey consider the fact zat _ve_ don't need another little mouth to feed, ja? Who doez zat Russian toad zhink he iz?"

"I zink you should lower your voice."

"Oh zats right!" Gilbert giggled, slinging his arm around the Austrian, "Vat vas I zhinking?"

"You vere'nt."

Vladimir watched the conspicuous two for a moment before setting his glass down on the table. His own brother not making any ground as he laughed loudly with the Baltic states. The two he wanted to question set down their own glasses as they headed back into the empty conference room.

"I vish you vould vait until ve vere back home," Roderich scolded, smoothing down his clothes worriedly, eventually speaking again, "I hate zhis."

"Me too," Gilbert admitted soberly, "It's not like Elizabeth can just leave zhem zhere though."

The Prussian's eyes followed his brother pace back and forth from his toe boot to the window, noting the sleep deprived sadness. On his next pass, Gilbert grabbed his wrist and stared directly in his eye.

"Bruther, everyzing alright? Between you und Elizabeth?"

Vladimir leaned closer to the door, straining to hear the Austrian's words that confirmed his suspicions.

"I don't know, she seemed happy with Nicolae, but even bevore then we vere, drifting apart, and I don't vant zat for us. If Vladimir finds out that he's zhere, she'll blame me forever. I'm just," Roderich collapsed in a chair, keeping his gaze away from his albino brother, "I'm just tired. I don't vant to do this anymore."

Gilbert nodded understandingly and pulled up a chair, "Look, vhen ve get back, you two can talk to each other, hell, you two don't even have to talk, just sit vith each other in silence, just be together. Hold her like you used to and slowly drift asleep, vake up still holding her. I'll take the little brats out so it can be quite, alright?"

_*time jump*_

"Zhere you are!" Elizabeth shrieked in delight, grabbing for the little boy as he ran away screaming excitedly as she tickled him into winning another round of hide-and-go-seek.

The great door to the mansion slammed open suddenly as she had expected the two to arrive later. A sudden rising irritation and expectation ran down her spine and narrowed her brow as she stood up straighter.

"Vhere is he?!"

"Get out of here you pointy toothed bastard!" She barked from her place without moving, glancing fearfully down at Nicolae who clutched her skirt, confused at her change.

"He's not here I told you that," Gilbert's voice cut through the air pathetically, "No don't she might be naked!"

"I've seen vorse," Vladimir appeared around the corner, cloak in a flurry and eyes a raging fury at the woman, "Now give him to me!"

"Never you peasant!" She screamed back, turning her body protectively for the child, "Finders keepers!"

"Zat's childish and zou know it!"

"I thought you had to invite vampires in before they could enter your house…"

"And all Austrians are pianist, beyond zhe point."

"Just give me my brother back bitch!" Vladimir screeched in her face, both now nose to nose challengingly.

"Hey!" Roderich snapped, pulling the smaller man away from his wife viciously and slapped his face with a wrathful stare, "You have no right to barge into my house and insult my wife and terrify the children. Now, if you vould like to sit down and be civilized, be my guest. But if you're just going to yell, get out."

"Vine," He hissed in the other's face, stalking around him to take a seat in the Victorian styled couch. Anton quickly accompanied him to his side and watched Hungary hush the bundle she hid from them before setting it down.

"Big brother!" Nicolae's innocent voice squealed as he tumbled over himself to his brother's pant leg.

Vladimir smiled for the first time and his eyes light up brightly at the sight of his precious little brother as he scooped him up playfully in his arms. The boy laughed gleefully, his little incisors glintering in the sunlight that matched the older mans practically perfect. He clutched the small child tightly, forgetting where he was, started sobbing and blubbering into Moldova's fresh Italian clothes, soaking his brother's hair and face with salty tears. After what seemed like hours and as each of the countries glanced between each other uncomfortably, Vladimir looked up at Elizabeth remorsefully bitter, his eyes redder than usual, his voice hoarse and scratchy.

"How could you take him from me?"


	3. Love is a Drug

Feliciano was crying.

Vladimir held his little brother protectively as he stood at the door frame, silently loathing how he already smelled like the Austrian's house. Nicolae clutched a small fist of jacket, eyes wide and confused as he watched Elizabeth try to look anywhere but him.

The older countries spoke in low voices, almost as if not to frighten him but succeeding anyway. None had said a word to him about what was going to happen. To be honest, he'd been happy to see his big brother, but also was scared at the face he had when he looked at Elizabeth.

Like she was some kind of predator, and Vladimir also a predator, both competing for the same prey with soft intentions. Anton had told him stories of when the he had lived with them in a house ran by a man of the name of Sadik. Even then they had a the predator look and rarely agreed. Nicolae had never really listened to the story, his brother seemed to make it sound sadder and more drastic than he felt it was.

"Ve should leave," The blond muttered softly into Nicolae hair, "Hmm?"

The trio filed out the door, night sky darkening to a dead purple that seemed as if someone had stretched out a massive bruise and tossed fairy dust up to constitute as stars. Awed, Nicolae mouth gaped open at the sight. Yellow light from the mansion seeped silently out of the windows and door that reached like golden fingers out to guide the travelers home safely. Nicolae glanced over his shoulder before his brother could even reach the first step, three shadows darkening the color and watching the people leave.

"Bye bye Momma," He quietly called out to the Elizabeth.

He couldn't see anyone's face, but felt the bulk that was Vladimir stiffen and go cold. The older countries eyes shined in the moonlight down at the boy in a mortified surprise.

Feliciano was still crying.

_***time skip***_

"Zhis is never going to vork!" Gilbert cried out in anguish as he trailed after Roderich through the house, "Like, vhere are they going to sleep?"

"Zhey can have your room, ja?" Roderich tossed over his shoulder coyly, "You had too much space anyvay."

"Vhat?! They just can't _live_ here! I thought you hated zat guy!"

Roderich smiled to himself, "I do. But veren't you the one who said I should do somezhing that vould make Elizabeth happy? Nicolae makes her happy, unfortunately he comes in a bundle with those two."

"Jaaaa, vhen I said zat, I meant like, a midnight stroll, take a bath together, hell, strip down and give her a show!" Gilbert waved his arms dramatically, collapsing on the couch vainfully, "But not, _them_! Elizabeth _hates z_at guy as much as you too! Vhat's the point?"

Roderich frowned at the Prussian, "You can alvays leave, by the looks of it, Ivan is accepting applications for others to live vith him."

"Never," Gilbert snapped quickly.

"Zhen shut up and get over yourself."

_***time skip***_

"This is vere you vill stay," Elizabeth spoke darkly, not making eye contact with the either of the Carpathian brothers.

"It smells like sweat," Vladimir said flatly, secretly jealous of the spacious room and the intricate battle scene etched out in a grand wooden panel that hung over the French windows.

"Vell it's Gilberts," She hissed before slamming the door and shutting them in.

"Cheer up Vlad," Anton spoke after a moment, dumping a pile of his things on one of the two spare king-sized beds that had been dragged in for them, "Zhis place is better zhan what we had."

"But it's not ours."

Vladimir slowly went to his bed, knowing well enough that his former Turkish brother had convinced Gupta to lend out his Egyptian cotton for bedding. Practically silk to the touch, Vladimir smiled at the thought of his childhood with the other Ottomans hadn't had been as bad as he remembered.

The room seemed larger where he stood, his place set in front of a window that overlooked the ancient forest that hesitantly stopped before reaching the mansions back patio and villa. A single giant oak tree dotted the most pure green grass he had ever seen, leaving a dark halo around itself almost as protection from the color.

A small movement caught his eye, he ignored his brothers mindless chatter, and leaned slightly to get a better look. Roderich, sat with his back to his high above spy and shook lightly, his hand plastered to his face.

Vladimir cracked the window ajar quietly, and for a moment there was nothing, and then the softest of cries touched his ears. Buried deep underneath the birds singing off key with one another and swishing of the tree branches. There was, in fact, a cry of a broken man that no longer carried about anything that was once important to him.

A thought occurred to Vladimir of how distant Roderich and Elizabeth seemed, that they didn't look at each other, but instead through each other. Another was how unkept the Austrian had looked in appearance in front of all of the other countries, disheveled and on the verge to just leave forever without a moments notice.

"Vlad?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked if ve should go get the stuff from the office or just leave it there?"

"Bring about half," Vladimir called over his shoulder, intrigued by the sobbing man in the yard, "Vhatever's important right now, store the rest."

"Vhat's that?"

Vladimir blinked for a moment, suddenly aware where he was and looked back slyly like his old-self at his brother, "Vhat's vhat?"

"Zhat," Anton pointed seriously at his elder with a stick, "Zhat look. I know zhat look, you're thinking about somezhing, vhat?"

"Vait and see," He answered playfully, quickly walking back for the door, "I have an idea."

Anton watched the man leave him alone helplessly, "Vait for _vhat_?!"

_***practically a minute later***_

"Vatch it pointy!"

"Stay outta _my _vay albino!"

As Vladimir shouldered past Gilbert, the Prussian snatched the Romanian by his collar and slammed him against the wall.

"Vhy are you even here, ja?" Gilbert breathed into his neck, "Only zat little brother of yours does and nobody else."

"You just don't vanna share your big-ass room vith anyone," He spat in Gilbert's face.

"Jealous?" Gilbert grinned viciously, "Bet you never seen such luxury in your pathetic life so casually thrown around."

"At least I didn't piggy-back off a brother to get it!" Vladimir shot back quickly, struggling now as Gilbert tightened his grasp on the his collar.

"You vant to take zat back you fucking piece of shit?"

"Vhat's going on?" A small voice asked from the floor.

The two men's spine simultaneously stiffened as their blood ran cold. Each slowly looked down to the ground over one another to two pairs of round curious eyes. Nicolae and Feliciano stood side by side, gawking up fearfully at the older ones. Nicolae held Feliciano's cat in his arms, the creature sighing in its sleep.

"Nozhing, ve vere just us," Gilbert jumped off Vladimir quickly, pretending to dust the other off as if he cared, "Uh."

"Playing!" Vladimir supplied quickly, pushing the albino away to crouch to Nicolae's height, "Hey, do you know vhere Elizabeth is? I need to ask her something that's important."

"No need to ask her how to stick a foot up your arse, I'll do it for you," Gilbert muttered as he headed for his shared bedroom.

"He just swore," Nicolae whispered, frightened, wide red eyes glowing up at his beloved older brother.

"Never mind zat," Vladimir dismissed as he picked up both of the boys and walked for the kitchen, "Vhere is Elizabeth da?"

_***a few days later***_

"Mon dieu! What happened to this place?"

Vladimir's head snapped up quickly from behind the kitchen island at the strange voice. Stripped down to nothing but a casual pair of slacks that were still too much for him. Secretly, unknown to anyone else, he had mapped out the air conditioning unit through out the entire mansion and permanently broke the thing. Normally, it would just be a matter of replacing it, but due to it being July and the age and design of the house, there could be nothing done until winter.

A stark blond man with the most translucent and magnificent golden strands stood in the door frame with another humbly looking brunette with the softest, yet mischievous green eyes, that he didn't recognize. Each had a small child perched on their hip that matched their own looks practically perfectly, though a tad shyer than the older.

"Since when did Roderich hire help?" The curly blond asked no one in particular as he side-glanced Vladimir while setting his child on the counter.

Vladimir rose to fully height with a questioning brow, smiling internally to himself at the shocked looks of both of the men, he offered a hand to shake friendly, "Vladimir Popescu, tu?"_  
_

"Francis Bonnefoy," Elizabeth spoke quickly as she entered the kitchen, her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She herself had reverted into merely a tank top and shorts to with stand the heat of the house that somehow added a fierceness about her, "Gilbert's out back."

Francis and the other man nodded their thanks and ambled out of the kitchen for the yard. Elizabeth ignored Vladimir as she reached around him for a glass and then the sink. He watched her with intense curiosity that made him smile lightly down at her, revealing the pointed incisors with serious intent.

She continued to ignore him as she drank her water, flipped the empty glass on its top, and spun on her heels to follow the men.

Irritation spiked the back of Vladimir's throat as bile ran rapid on his tongue. He slammed the counter door shut and tossed a hand towel aside to trail after her.

Outside the younger countries ran about chasing each other and screaming gleefully under the high-noon sun. The elders sat protected in the villa laughing and chatting casually.

"Matty's always been shy so I'm not that concerned, but some days he really misses his brother and it's practically impossible to cheer him up again."

"Romano's the same way," Antonio nodded in agreement as he took a sip of a clear liquid from a slender lute, "At least, I think he is, whenever he's with Feliciano he seems slightly less irritable than normal."

Vladimir remained in the shadows of the sliding door listening in on the conversation before boldly striding out to the group. The sunlight caught his skin where a thin film of sweat glimmered and made it seem almost like he was glowing in a comparison of his pale pigment.

"Twilight vas right!" A buzzed Gilbert laughed out loud as he approached, "You _do_ sparkle!"

Francis and Antonio automatically grinned with him and joined in with the joke while Elizabeth didn't acknowledge his presence.

"Zhat's rude und you know it," Roderich scolded his brother.

Vladimir smiled understandingly and waved him off, "It's vine, I'm used to it by now."

"It's still rude," Roderich shot accusing glances at Gilbert, who had already forgot the newcomer and was attempting to balance Gilbird on his nose.

"Vhat do you want?" Elizabeth asked dead-pan as she still didn't look at him.

"I vas looking for Anton," He answered overly-friendly, smiling at the back of her head.

He followed her gaze to the group of children, realizing that one was much taller than the rest. Anton ran with Matthew high above his head as they played airplane, the rest of the kids running along his ankles begging for a turn. The Bulgarian laughed with them, but lost the look as he caught his brother staring at him from across the yard. He set down the child and excused himself before jogging over.

"Vhat's up?"

Vladimir grabbed his arm and lead him back to the house out of ear shot from the rest, "I need you to go back to zhe house and get a few zhings."

He dug around in his pocket and produced a spare sheet of paper and handed it to the other. Anton's eyes widened in astonishment as he tried to read the chicken-scratch that was suppose to be handwriting.

"Zhat's a lot more than a few! I don't know if we even have some of zhis stuff."

"Then find it," Vladimir told him firmly with a curt smile as he re-entered the house, "Be back before night fall."

_***breakfast the next day***_

Vladimir sat down nervously next to Nicolae while the rest of the people ate quietly. He and Anton had volunteered to cook as a sign of appreciation of kind hospitality. The two had stayed up late the night before while Gilbert was out with Francis and Antonio mixing herbs and roots together. Repeatedly, Anton had asked what they were making but he never let on exactly what.

What seemed like an innocent spread of food and passed off as all of Nicolae's favorites, was in fact a dangerous mixture of potent spells to make his plan work faster.

Bowls of apples, celery, carrots and cherries dotted the table and was accented with daises, daffodils, bleeding-hearts and cuckoo flowers in bright vibrant red vases. Every omelet had it's own personal amount of clove and barely added into the mix with a dash of dill and chickweed. Other bowls held mountains of chestnuts and figs that mirrored the piles of cinnamon toast bread.

Each practically innocent on their own, but tossed together made the right amount of the perfect spell he had in mind of Elizabeth. All combined to give to make him more attractive in her eyes through either love or lust that he'd planned to sneak into everything she touched. He had even gone as far as to grinding ginseng and ginger into her shampoo. Before breakfast he even put a bright red geranium in Nicolae hair and lightly suggested for him to sit next to Elizabeth in promises to make flower crowns.

Vladimir stole anxious glances with Anton who was careful not to eat too much and leave more for the others unlike his usual self. Gilbert stumbled in and collapsed in his spot at the table rubbing his forehead, Gilbird settling himself in the man's hair line for a small slumber.

"Get up," Roderich demanded, a fork balanced precariously in hand as he stared scornfully at the Prussian, Vladimir had made sure that the man got his own dose of natural herbs and roots, unfortunately they weren't as kind as Elizabeth's.

"_Nien_!" Gilbert's muffled voice came from his jacket sleeve, "I'm not going to that meeting either!"

"Ve all are," Roderich snapped irritably.

After what seemed like a silence of eternity, Elizabeth took a drink of water, which Vladimir had tainted with the faintest amount of clover, and turned to him quietly, "You look nice this morning."

He felt his heart jump at her words as he forgot to speak for a moment, he smiled, "Zhank you, so do you."


	4. Bats in the Belfry - Lemon Chapter

"Shhhhh! You'll vake him up!"

"Me? You're the one who breathes too heavy!"

"You're seriously criticizing my breathing?"

"Oh right, who can complain when all they get is a nose full of garlic?"

"Now zat's just hurtful."

Elisabeth shoved playfully against Vladimir's shoulder as she peered closer into the dark bedroom of the younger countries. The curtains had been pulled back and the full moon lit up the room as if she had flicked on a light. Two small bundles on opposite beds rose and fell gently with small breaths.

Over a week had passed since the fateful breakfast the Carpathian brothers had created for everyone, and just as intended, it had worked perfectly. Roderich had disappeared to the recluses of his office, leaving his usual perch that was the grand piano bench empty and cold. He had only appeared once, even then it had seemed like he had escaped some torturous nightmare, Gilbert had found him standing alone in the yard when he was trying to sneak back in. Vladimir had taken it upon himself to deliver the Austrian's meals to ensure that he received his special daily dosage of roots and herbs.

The Romanian inhaled the Hungarians soft hair as she leaned up against him casually, grinning at the strong scent of ginseng that had made it's place in the woman's daily routine at this point. His plan was working perfectly.

Elizabeth's fingers reached up behind Vladimir's head and softly played with his hair, he returned the gesture by slinging his arms around her waist and lead her away from the children's room.

He let her go and cocked an eyebrow playfully as he touched the tips of her fingers with his own and guided her like a prince to his royal chambers that had been vacated for the night. Anton had taken Gilbert and Roderich out to a pub several hours away for a change of scenery. Vladimir had almost felt bad for using his brother, but not as much as when he drugged the younger countries food with sleeping pills that could knock them out for the next century.

He pushed the heavy oak door open and revealed the room completely rearranged for the evening. The two beds had been pushed into the darker corners leaving only his propped directly in front of the large window that did its own magic to the room. The floor was lined with hundreds upon hundreds of poppy and daisy petals that created a walkway from the door straight to the bed.

Elizabeth gasped at the sight, Vladimir still grinning, a mischievous welcoming look held in the back of his eyes as he made a small movement of his hand that quietly shut the door and locked it.

"You know I don't like black magic," She warned warily as he, again flicked his wrist and a rose appeared.

"I never deal vith black magic," He spoke from a bow up at her, "Only zhe good stuff for zomeone like vine as you."

Her eyes lit up at the flattery and accepted flower flirtatiously, "That zo?

"Oh," Vladimir lunged for the woman, pinning her against the door, his right hand coddling her head while the other slipped up the back of her night shirt, pleased at his fingers touching nothing but her bare back. His grin widened as he balanced a thigh against her abdomen, he stared directly into her gorgeous emerald green eyes, "I never lie."

She stared back, a soft pant of her warm breath against his nose, "_Really_?"

Instead of answering, Vladimir pressed his cool lips to her own silky skin, demanding to be let in to explore more of her. She allowed him access and fought for dominance to go deeper into his, tracing her tongue over the sharpened incisor. The blond pressed harder as she gave in and let him taste whatever she had eaten earlier that day for his own whimsy.

He pulled away quickly, a strand of saliva connecting the two as he began to kiss every part her exposed skin. Elizabeth moaned and craned her neck back as she ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer to take every inch of her.

He moved across one shoulder, kissing and licking as teasingly as possible, down into the dip of her collarbone before moving to the other shoulder and up the side of her neck. He paused playfully and gently scratched his tooth against her skin as she had read vampires do in so many terrible books and movies. His grin remained as he felt her shiver at the touch.

"Vlad~" She moaned, nibbling his ear, "S-stop it."

The blond arched a brow curiously at the woman at the sudden request, the smile returned at what she was truly asking and he hoisted her up by the hips and carried her to the bed.

Her hands reached up and grabbed his jaw as they both fell to the sheets, pulling him down for another kiss as the two struggled to keep lips locked as they undressed each other. Grunting and heavy breathing quickly filled the room as they came up for air and quickly went back into the others embrace. The moon traced soft gray shadows on the now fully exposed bodies as Vladimir sat on his haunches on top of the woman, neither wanting to give in to the battle of the tongue.

She reached a hand up and tugged his hair again as the two swayed in perfect unison with each other as their heartbeats seemed to become one and effortlessly told them how to move. Vladimir leaned down closer so Elizabeth sat with her back arched on the bed and left her to investigate the rest of her body.

A trail of saliva came from both their mouth as he made his way back down and for her breasts. He massaged one with a free hand, flicking and twisting the bud, and suckled the other, solely motivated by the mewling and squeaks she made at his actions. As he finished with one and moved to the other for another share, he flicked his free hand and opened the window, letting it a cool breeze that caused them both to shiver in delight.

"Vlad," Elizabeth demanded weakly, glaring down at him as he stared up at her, red eyes glowing viciously in a hunger to continue his torture, "Come on..."

The grin widened farther than he thought could ever do, exposing his bright white teeth in the moonlight before he quickly crawled up her skin and returned to his place at her lips. Both covered already in a layer of sweat that caused them both shimmer in the dark.

He sat up straight and gently pushed her legs apart to make room for himself without ever breaking contact from the woman's lips. Elizabeth felt his manhood poke the side of her leg, mentally preparing herself for what was to come, almost immediately forgetting it. She squealed in surprise and instantly grabbed for Vladimir as he slid his hardened member into her tight walls.

"A-ah AH!"

"Shhhhh," He whispered deviously in her ear, "Just me, _relax_."

She nodded softly and did as she was told as the the man coddled her hips and thrust his own, slowly at first, watching her reaction as her face twisted in pain, then pure ecstasy, and went in from tip to base, in and out in and out in and out as he moved faster to keep up with himself. He felt her twitch uncontrollably underneath him, squirming in nothing but pure pleasure and bliss that craved for him and only him.

Vladimir grabbed her legs and hoisted them above his shoulders, laughing as she screamed his name, going harder and harder to her demands. He grinded her as forcefully as he could while the bed creaked quietly with their movements. She surprised him as she grabbed his neck unexpectedly and pulled him down so she was the dominant.

He smiled up at her and ogled as her breasts brushed against his chest, the two still connected as she wiggled her hips, imitating his movements to her own, much faster pace. Vladimir arched with her and gasped at the rush as they continued to almost climax together before pulling out just to start all over. Countries could go at it for hours without tiring and since fornication was impossible, they went for it.

Pure and sweet yet dangerous and painful as any other mortal could make lovemaking out to be.

Vladimir spun expertly and tossed Elizabeth back down again, refusing to be made out the less dominant. He thrust once more, his shaft plunging as deep as it could go, smashing against her soft spot as she screamed nothing but high pitched wails that could wake the dead. Her hands twisted and furrowed with the bed sheets, tangling and tying up in knots with the fabric.

Her legs wrapped themselves against his waist as he continued to thrust, still grinning and laughing softly with himself through every moment. He flicked his wrist once more and slammed the window shut, sick of staring at the moon and it too glaring back at him, mockingly.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and let her body move without her mind, "Just like vhen we living in Ankara back in the day."

"Oh? You've miszed it, haven't you?" Vladimir pulled out and zoomed in closer to her face so his body pinned hers down, his hair barely touching the tip of her nose, "Back vhen ve vere dared to do it in da barn, and in da church, and in da yard, and, well vould be easier to name places ve _veren't_ dared."

She ran her hand through his blond fluff, smiling as he licked the side of her breast, "Vhy do ve hate each other again?"

"Cause I'm prettier zhan you."

"Get out!" She playfully ruffled his hair as he smiled a genuine smile back at her, she sighed pleasantly, "I haven't felt zhis alive in ages."

"Zat's a shame," He whispered as he nuzzled her chest and traced his fingers along her rib cage, surprised how shallow they were, "You should feel like zhe starz and da moon, and zhe rest of zhe world, you're beautiful Elizabeth, you should alvays feel like this."

"No," She spoke after a long pause, erasing the silence the two had created, "No, I don't deserve it."

"Bullshit," Vladimir sat up and stared down her seriously, hiding his fright in how oddly frail she looked, "You deserve to be treated like a queen."

"And how's zat feel like?" She asked playfully up at him, the usual fire returning to her eyes.

***let's give them some privacy, shall we?***

"I hate zhis," Gilbert grumbled irritable with his forehead pressed against the bar.

"I know you do," An equally irritable Anton muttered as he leaned tiredly against the Prussian, "But he's ztill dancing."

The two simultaneously glanced over their shoulders back at where they had last left Roderich several hours prior to the Dance! Dance! machine. For a stuffy musician type he had somehow stuck out all the other pub patrons challenges and beat each of them at a dance competition. Only a few remained and somehow the man still had the energy to dance his heart out like a drunken fool despite the fact he had only a few shots. Come to think of it, it _was _on an empty stomach, and boozes does things to you on an empty stomach.

"Say," Gilbert asked nonchalantly as he tried to make his eyes see only one Anton, "You didn't do some weird voodoo black magic on him ja?"

"Nu," Anton asked casually as he stared at the bottles behind the counter, "That's more Vlad's thing, I could never get zhe hang of it."

"It smell like weed in my room the other day."

"Yeah, ve vere busy."

"Doing vat?!"

"Dumb vampire shit."

"Riiiiight," Gilbert took another drink from his glass, before setting it down and staring at it for a moment longer, "I vish Elizabeth vas happy, ja. Like she used to be so vibrant and zo full of life she lit up the room."

"I noticed zat," Anton answered with a slur, clinging to the bar as he hung out half out of chair, "Do you zhink she'll be alright?"

"I hope zo," The albino glanced once more behind him and watched his brother sway to the music, "I hope zo."


End file.
